Regal Princess Captures My Dear Girl

October 13, 1985|By Dave Joseph, Racing Writer

NORTH MIAMI — It was, for Jose ``Pepe`` Mendez, a regal afternoon.

Mendez, trainer of Berens and Garazi`s Regal Princess, watched with delight as his 2-year-old filly split horses down the stretch to score a clear three- length victory in a division of the $380,000 Florida Stallion Stakes` My Dear Girl Division.

Regal Princess, the even-money favorite, took the lead just past the one- eighth pole and drew away to victory with jockey Odin Londono, covering the 1 1/16 mile in 1:48 3/5.

In the second division of the filly championship, Tartan Stable`s Final Reunion, a 13-1 shot, drove down the middle of the track and just got up in the closing yards to beat Thirty Zip by three-quarters of a length. Saddled by Calder`s leading trainer Jim Bracken and ridden by leading jockey Jose Velez, Final Reunion raced the 1 1/16 mile in 1:49.

But it was a day belonging to Mendez. Celebrating his daughter`s 15th birthday as well as his filly`striumph, Mendez dedicated the victory to his daughter, and then raised a few eyebrows when he said he may run the filly in next week`s $350,000 In Reality division of the Stallion Stakes for colts and geldings.

``I have had a lot of confidence in this filly,`` said Mendez, whose horse drew away from second-place finisher Cascade. ``So much that if the owners agree, I will run her next week in the Florida Stallion Stakes for colts.``

Mendez may have simply been overcome with delight to make such a statement. And Regal Princess` victory may have been the reason why.

A chestnut Royal And Regal-Zenith Star filly, Regal Princess came into the race with four victories in eight starts. Included was a victory in the Stallion Stakes` six-furlong Desert Vixen, and an eight-length romp in a prep race for the My Dear Girl over a mile & 70 yards. While Saturday`s victory was a little more difficult, Regal Princess was still by far the best.

Breaking out of the seven post in the 11-horse field, Londono and Regal Princess stalked the early leaders Janjac and Brief Fame in fourth position while Cascade, a divisional winner of the Stallion Stakes` Susan`s Girl ridden by Julio Pezua, raced third. After fractions of :23 4/5, :48 1/5 and 1:14, both Londono and Pezua started making their moves at the three-eighths pole.

Londono urged Regal Princess past a tiring Brief Fame and alongside Janjac while Pezua raced Cascade, bumped by Brief Fame entering the stretch, three- wide outside Regal Princess. With Janjac inside and Cascade outside, Londono found, ``a narrow opening,`` between the two, and took a clear lead just past the one-eighth pole. Three quick right-handed snaps from his whip was all Londono needed to guide Regal Princess home. Cascade held second, while She`s Content rallied past Janjac for third.

``I think my filly might have won if she wasn`t bumped,`` Pezua said. ``That put her off stride a bit.``

Regal Princess returned $4.20, $2.60 and $2.40. Cascade paid $3.20 and $2.80 and She`s Content returned $5.20 to show.

In the second division, it all came down to a stretch battle between Final Reunion and Thirty Zip.

Thirty Zip, a much maligned filly after weakening to finish second and third respectively in the Susan`s Girl and Desert Vixen divisions, raced three lengths off leader Demetroula down the backstretch before taking the lead at the three-eighth pole and drawing away to a 1 1/2-length lead entering the stretch.

But Final Reunion, who had, ``followed (Thirty Zip) and followed her,`` down the backstretch and into the stretch, according to jockey Jose Velez, wouldn`t give up despite what appeared to be a game Thirty Zip drawing away with an eighth of a mile left.

With six lengths on the rest of the field and fractions of :23 3/5, :48 2/5 and 1:14, Thirty Zip and Final Reunion drove the stretch; Thirty Zip on the inside and Final Reunion easing out to the middle of the track.

``I was catching (Thirty Zip) when my filly started easing out,`` Velez said. ``So I worked and worked to try and straighten her out and we just made it.``

Said Thirty Zip`s jockey Octavio Aviles, who rode a near flawless race, ``She tired in the stretch.``

For Final Reunion`s trainer Jim Bracken, it was a victory in a race he had his questions about.

``This filly has just gotten over being sick and I was worried she might not be able to run,`` Bracken said.

Before Saturday`s victory, Final Reunion had won two of her five races. After breaking her maiden Aug. 1 at second asking, the filly won once in allowance company before finishing fourth by 10 lengths over a mile & 70 yards in her last race.